The name of the organisation shall be Diversity in Medicine and Health (DIMAH).
1. Terms of reference
The remit of DIMAH is to lead and support the development and implementation of high quality diversity curricula and resources to support healthcare students develop their professionalism and clinical method and thus to deliver high quality individualised patient-centred care.
DIMAH will do this by:
- Clearly defining and redefining diversity in the context of healthcare and what constitutes education in diversity
- Reviewing and evolving aims and learning outcomes for diversity education
- Collaborating with students to co-produce diversity education
- Ensuring DIMAH welcomes allied professionals
- Offering an open space to network with other programmes across the four nations
- Creating a brave space to discuss shared challenges, sensitive issues and celebrate diversity
- Sharing best practice in diversity interprofessional education and research
- Updating the membership on key guidance from the MSC EDI Alliance
- Providing peer support to navigate challenges and successes in diversity education
- Creating and scaffolding formal and informal collaborations for education and research
2. Organisational Structure
2.1 Management Committee
The Officers of the organisation shall form the management committee of DIMAH and consist of:
- Co-Chairs,
- Secretary and
- Treasurer,
All positions will aim to be co-led in order to provide flexibility, shared responsibility and cross-cover.
The function of the committee is to work collaboratively with the membership to support the delivery of the organisation’s terms of reference. Officers should prioritise attendance at DIMAH meetings and a quorum of 2 officers is required at every meeting.
2.2 Officers
Officers will be elected by the membership and will take post for 3 years unless:
- They give 3 months notice they wish to leave their post
- They reach the end of their term and wish to continue in the role and no other member puts themselves forward for election (in which case their tenure will continue for another 1 year)
- They bring the organisation into disrepute, as determined by majority vote of the whole management committee
Officer posts will be open to all members on a three yearly basis, with elections to take place three yearly starting in Summer 2025.(excepting an Officers resignation or removal before term, which will trigger an early election for the remainder of their term):
2.3 Election Process
A call for nominations will be issued by the Secretary following the last DIMAH meeting of the preceding year, with any prospective candidate needing to complete a self nomination form.
Elections will be supervised by the Secretary and Treasurer and held as a secret ballot of all members via the DIMAH website, in July/ August.
The matters around the processes of the election (such as issuing statements, on-line forums, debates) will be determined by the management committee.
3 Roles of Management Committee
3.1 Role of Co-Chairs
To set, in consultation with the Management Committee and membership, the annual priorities and goals for the group, both generally and specifically.
To plan and Chair meetings in an orderly fashion, being sure all agenda items are covered, decisions are made when required and action points are clearly allocated to members with appropriate deadlines. Co-chairs can opt to split this responsibility as they see equitable, by rotating dates or by content of meeting.
To ensure all members are engaged and able to express their views and to manage differences of opinion and conflicts in a supportive and inclusive way.
To act as a spokesperson for the group
To act as a representative for DIMAH in other relevant EDI spaces e.g. MSC EDI Alliance.
To ensure the Management Committee and the organisation as a whole follow the Terms of Reference
To liaise with the Management Committee to support them in carrying out their roles and responsibilities
3.3 Role of Secretary
To keep and maintain list of e-mail correspondence addresses for all members
To organise dates for regular online meetings throughout the academic year and where demand states an annual or two yearly face to face event.
To circulate by e-mail and add to the DIMAH website the agenda and all relevant papers for meetings at least 1 week beforehand
To ensure that accurate minutes of meetings are taken, approved by the Co-chairs and circulated to group members within 2 weeks of each meeting
To send out correspondence as requested by the Co-Chairs and to bring any correspondence to the attention of the Co-Chairs
To circulate relevant information to the Management Committee and/or membership as appropriate
To act as a first point of contact for the membership on matters relating to the organisation
3.4 Role of Treasurer
To maintain accurate and up to date financial records and to present the accounts and financial statements to the Management Committee at the Annual General Meeting and subsequently as required
To manage the DIMAH bank account and all ingoing/outgoing monies
To monitor the financial position of the organisation to ensure that all expenses can be covered and to bring any anticipated concerns to the Management Committee immediately
To be responsible for ensuring that effective financial systems and procedures have been established and are being consistently followed in line with best practice and legal requirements
3.5 Role of the Student Officer
To attend DIMAH meetings to contribute to the development of the organisation (wherever possible the organisation will financially support the Student Officer’s attendance at the meetings)
To advise on how DIMAH can collect and collate views of students within UK Medical and Health Education on Diversity issues
To disseminate information about DIMAH to the student community
To act as a point of contact for students within Medical and Health Education on issues relevant to DIMAH
4 Meetings
4.1 Management Committee
It is expected that members of the Management Committee will attend an average of 3 out of 4 DIMAH meetings each year and any absences should be co-ordinated to ensure there is always a quorum of 4 members at every meeting
4.2 Standing Items
Every DIMAH meeting will contain on the agenda the following items for discussion
- Report from the Chair
- Follow up of actions from the previous meeting
- Treasurer’s report on membership and finance
5 Changes to Constitution
Any proposed change to the constitution must be
- Discussed as an agenda item at a DIMAH meeting
- Subsequently opened to the membership for views for a 4 week period
- Finalised and then approved by the Management Committee by majority vote of all in-post members